Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 will not get a theatrical run in Russia and instead will be released directly to Blu-ray and DVD.
Was it the 6 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes? Could it have been the excessive product placement and promotion for the Wynn Las Vegas Resort? Does Kevin James not resonate with Russian audiences? Whatever the reason, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 will not debut July 2 in Russian theaters, and the Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing CIS, which handles Sony and Disney distribution in Russia, is keeping tight-lipped about it:
“The decision was made by the main office,” a spokesperson for WDSSPR told The Hollywood Reporter, providing no further comments. The U.S. office of Sony Pictures did not reply to THR’s request for comment.
The first Paul Blart: Mall Cop only grossed $276,246 during its theatrical run in Russia, so maybe Sony thought it wasn’t worth putting the sequel out in Russian theaters.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is the third film to have its Russian theatrical run canceled in 2015, joining such prestigious company as Child 44 and Mortdecai, which were also critically panned.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
